“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122: 6
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Mohammed Wattad—Only Muslims Can Change the World’s View of Islam:
The recent massacre of journalists from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris recalls the 2006 Danish cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohammad as a terrorist. Meant to further debate about criticism of Islam and self-censorship, the caricatures were met with violent protests by Muslims worldwide.
The Danish flag was desecrated and embassies in Syria, Lebanon and Iran were attacked. Behind the scenes, Muslim religious and political leaders fanned the flames, inciting the violence and issuing death threats against those affiliated with the publication.
In both cases, the outrage stemmed from the depiction of Islam as a religion that promotes violence.
While Muslims found these cartoons offensive, the cartoons were drawn by Western journalists for Western audiences in a society grounded in democratic rights and freedoms, tantamount among these the right to free speech. And what is the essence of free speech if not the right to express disputed and even offensive views? Western courts have created important principles and a body of rich jurisprudence aimed at enlarging the right to freedom of expression that are applicable to benign speech as well as to that which offends, shocks or disturbs. As a result, governments can rarely, and only for the most compelling reasons, invoke the power to regulate public discourse.
[…]
To continue reading, click here.
SnyderTalk Comment: The public’s perception of Islam isn’t the problem. The reality of Islamism is the problem. The public’s perception is slowly catching up with the reality.
If Muslims don’t accept the fact that they are responsible for Islam and make changes, things will get much worse. As things stand now, we are heading for a real war pitting Islam against the world.
There are too many Islamists who say that they want to rule the world under Sharia law; they have too much money; they are too willing to die; and there are too many Neville Chamberlains masquerading as leaders in the West.
Thanks to ISIS, I think that we have passed the point of no return. Their merciless butchery and perverted ways are taking their toll. Eventually, people will have had enough, and Islamists will be in for a rude awakening. The Chamberlains will be swept away and thinking people will replace them. That’s when the Free World will go on offense.
But there’s a problem. Distinguishing between Islamists and “ordinary peaceful Muslims” is very difficult because they attend the same mosques and hear the same messages. I think that “ordinary peaceful Muslims” who have been so quiet for so long may become targets, too.
If what I think will happen actually comes to pass, you can scratch “may become targets” and insert “will become targets”. I’m not saying that because it’s what I want. I’m saying it because I think it will happen naturally if things continue as they are.
Here’s another thing that I think will happen: when liberal progressives in the West jump up to spout out the one-liners about Islam that they know, they will become targets, too. It’s human nature at work as well. That’s when we will learn how brave and committed liberal progressives are. My guess is that suddenly they will become deafeningly quiet.
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Alan M. Dershowitz: Confronting European Anti-Semitism— I just completed a three day visit to Prague and the former Terezin concentration camp. I was there to speak at a conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps. Many European speakers talked about the efforts they are making to confront the rising tide of anti-Semitism throughout Europe. But before one can decide how to confront a sickness like anti-Semitism, one must first describe and diagnose the pathology. There are several distinct, but sometimes overlapping, types of anti-Semitism. The first is traditional, right wing, fascist Jew hatred that has historically included theological, racial, economic, social, personal and cultural aspects. We are seeing a resurgence of this today in Greece, Hungary and other European countries with rising right wing parties that are anti-Muslim as well as anti-Jewish.
Moshe Phillips and Benyamin Korn: Why the Israel-Bashers Request Anonymity— Ever notice how the Obama Administration officials who attack Israel always insist on anonymity? This week, “a senior administration official who would not be named” made strident comments to the New York Times about Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer. The anonymous official accused Dermer of “placing [Prime Minister] Netanyahu’s political fortunes above the relationship between Israel and the United States.” Earlier in the week, the Times of Israel quoted “officials in Washington” who said the vulgar term that an unnamed White House official used used to describe Netanyahu last October “was mild compared to the language used in the White House when news of Netanyahu’s planned speech [to the U.S. Congress] came in.” That earlier anonymous insult was part of a tirade unleashed by an Obama Administration official in an interview with The Atlantic, in which, among other things, he compared Israel’s prime minister to chicken excrement.
Reiji Yoshida, Mizuho Aoki, and Masaaki Kameda: Crisis awakens Japanese to shortcomings, realities—The hostage crisis that blew up on Jan. 20 and ended so tragically taught Japan about the reality of life in a strife-filled part of the world, and the video journalist who had tried so hard to explain that with images ended up doing so with his own life. Moreover, the extremist who put a knife to his throat on camera declared coldly that Japan’s nightmare of terror is about to begin. Bravado or not, it was a sinister and hate-filled declaration — and one that may contain some truth. Japan has enjoyed good relationships with many Arab nations. And in general, Arabs have expressed affection for the nation that lost World War II but through resilience and hard work rose to prosperity. But as far as the Islamic State militants are concerned, that may no longer be the case.
Farooq Tariq: The Syriza shock— The European project is in shock. Syriza’s victory in Greece on January 25, 2015 has been termed by many European leaders as the most devastating blow to the European Union. The newly established left-wing party was able to gain 149 out of 300 parliamentary seats, fetching over 36 percent of votes within just three years of its establishment. However, Syriza’s formation as a political platform commenced in 2004 with preparation by 13 diverse Left, green and radical groups. The joint forces of the Left were able to win over 42 percent of the popular vote, including over five percent for the Greek Communist Party KKE, which was not part of Syriza. For the ‘Troika’ of the European Commission, European Central Bank and IMF, the most frightening promise of Syriza’s 40-point election manifesto was: “Audit of the public debt and renegotiation of interest due and suspension of payments until the economy has revived and growth and employment returns”. The formation of the cabinet after the election victory indicates the desire of Syriza’s leader Alexis Tsipras to fulfil this promise as soon as possible.
Denis MacEoin: Is Israel Guilty of War Crimes?— Can the International Criminal Court [ICC] even be considered an impartial legal body, any more than a Jim Crow court in America’s old South? The supporters of this repackaged anti-Semitism always seem perfectly comfortable “forgetting” that Hamas offers its people no human rights. Thus is a liberal democracy, Israel, maligned by a theocratic tyranny. It is clear that these illustrious members of the international community are secretly hoping that if they can rig the system so that the Arabs can finish off Israel, they, in the international community, will still be able to preen and congratulate themselves that the obliteration of the Jewish state had nothing to do with them. Groups such as al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, Hizbullah or Hamas are considered terrorists because they do not abide by the principles of international or domestic law. That, as well as the acts they commit, is what identifies them as terrorists. The differentiating factor with Islamist terror organizations is that they do not recognize international law at all.
Khaled Abu Toameh: Why Is Hamas Smiling?— The Palestinian Fatah faction, whose leaders are supposed to be working toward preparing Palestinians for an independent Palestinian state, is currently embroiled in a bitter and violent power struggle between Palestinian Authority [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas and his major rival, Mohamed Dahlan. This is a power struggle, however, that casts doubts on Fatah’s preparedness to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Fatah infighting is not new, as Abbas and Dahlan, a former PA security commander in the Gaza Strip, have been waging war against each other for the past four years. Abbas believes that Dahlan, who is currently based in the United Arab Emirates, has long been plotting to replace him as president of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas has taken a number of measures to undermine Dahlan, including having him expelled from Fatah.
Taylor Luck: In Hamas Leader’s Exit from Qatar, Signs of Growing Saudi-Egyptian Influence—Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal lost his base of political operations in Qatar and departed for Istanbul in December. Observers say the Qatari leadership has undergone a strategic realignment, deciding to strengthen its ties with the Saudi-Egypt axis and distance itself from its former Islamist proxies. According to Hamas officials, Qatari security officials prevented its political bureau from receiving official delegations in Doha in December and “strongly advised” Hamas officials against traveling or communicating with Iranian officials. In late December Qatari authorities briefly detained two Hamas financiers under suspicion of “illegal monetary and economic transactions,” sending a clear message: Hamas officials were welcome in Qatar. Their politics were not. Hamas official Abu Hamzeh said 20 Hamas officials have left Qatar for Turkey over the past month.
Elder of Ziyon: UN is Outraged by Hamas (But Only When Violence Directed at Non-Jews)— It turns out that the UN is capable of strong language against Hamas – but only when it is the victim: The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, Robert Serry, has expressed outrage by the assault on the UN premises in Gaza this morning. “During a pre-announced demonstration, of which Hamas was well aware, a number of protestors climbed the perimeter wall and entered the compound causing damage to United Nations premises and property,” Mr. Serry said today in a statement from his office, UNSCO. Due to precautionary measures taken, United Nations personnel working in the compound were fortunately unharmed. The Special Coordinator noted with “deep concern” that, despite repeated assurances, the security forces in Gaza did not take the necessary and timely measures to protect UNSCO’s compound. “Pending a full transfer of security responsibilities to the legitimate Palestinian Authority, we continue to hold Hamas fully responsible for the security and safety of all United Nations personnel and operations in Gaza,” Mr. Serry said.
Joshua Gleis: Ten Lessons Learned by Hezbollah From Israel’s Summer War in Gaza— It seems like an eternity ago that fighting raged in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, dubbed by the IDF as Operation Protective Edge. Nonstop coverage of that conflict clogged the airwaves for weeks, only to be drowned out by new headlines: ISIS. Ebola. Ferguson. But with activities now heating up between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli borders, it is worth exploring what lessons Hezbollah took away from this past summer’s conflict, and what one might find as a result, both on and off the battlefield with Israel. Highlighted by recent skirmishes on the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian borders, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are high, and the possibility of a more sustained outbreak of violence, intentional or not, is becoming increasingly likely.
Yoel Meltzer: Is a Diplomatic Solution Really Possible?—The reason there has not been a diplomatic solution between Jews and Arabs west of the Jordan River is that at its core the more than 100-year conflict is not a land dispute. Since for several centuries the entire region was under Islamic control, then it is quite understandable that any non-Islamic sovereign entity will never be accepted. According to Mordechai Nisan, a retired lecturer in Middle East Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, “Islam rejects Jewish sovereignty, Arabism rejects Zionism.” The larger Arab/Islamic world will never accept a sovereign Jewish state in its midst. This is the truth that needs to be internalized if Israel wishes to continue to survive. This does not mean to imply that there are not good-intentioned Arabs or Muslims in the local region. Nevertheless, as a group they have no influence on the frightening trends that are sweeping the Middle East. For Israel, in the face ofjihad – and that’s really what Israel is up against – capitulations are an act of suicide.
Aaron Y. Zelin: The Islamic State’s Model—The Islamic State announced several months ago that it was “annexing” territory in Algeria (Wilayat al-Jazair), Libya (Wilayat al-Barqah, Wilayat al-Tarabulus and Wilayat al-Fizan), Sinai (Wilayat Sinai), Saudi Arabia (Wilayat al-Haramayn) and Yemen (Wilayat al-Yaman). It is likely that the Islamic State plans to pursue a similar approach in Afghanistan and Pakistan following its announcement of accepting pledges of allegiance from former members of the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban to also try and “annex” territory there under the framework of a new wilayah called “Wilayat Khorasan.” On its face, this bold declaration of an expanding number of wilayat (provinces) resembles the announcements by al-Qaeda of creating numerous franchises in the mid-2000s. The Islamic State’s “wilayat” strategy differs in significant ways from al-Qaeda’s “franchise” strategy, however. The academic literature has shed great light on the al-Qaeda franchising strategy. In a recent article Daniel Byman highlights a number of key factors within the al-Qaeda network regarding motivations for affiliation and franchising. Typically, affiliates joined up with al-Qaeda as a result of failure. Affiliation helped with financial support; offered a potential haven that could be exploited, along with access to new training, recruiting, publicity and military expertise; gave branding and publicity; and opened up personal networks from past foreign fighter mobilizations. It in turn helps al-Qaeda with mission fulfillment, remaining relevant, providing access to new logistics networks, and building a new group of hardened fighters.
Salim Mansur: Pakistan: Between Civility and Fanaticism— The recent massacre of school children by Taliban jihadists in a Peshawar army school just lowered even further the bar of atrocities carried out under the banner of Islam in Pakistan. As authorities floundered in the face of mounting violence, with serious implications for new wars in the region, the 2014 Global Terrorism Index ranked Pakistan third behind Iraq and Afghanistan among countries most impacted by terrorism. In addition, the “failed states index” elevated the status of Pakistan to being among the top dozen failed states of the world. According to the intelligence report of the last conversation before the murders, monitored by Pakistan’s security agency, one of the jihadists informed his handler, “We have killed all the children in the auditorium.” He then asked, “What do we do now?” The handler answered, “Wait for the army people, kill them before blowing up yourself.”
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Erdogan bashed for ‘baseless claims’ that his opponents linked to Israel’s Mossad
Hamas ready to cooperate with Iran ‘to destroy Israeli occupation’
Iranian commander: Zionists should fear Hezbollah response anywhere in the world
Neo-nazis plan anti-Semitic rally in heart of London’s Jewish community
Video: Iran says it launches domestically-made satellite into orbit
WATCH: Haredim protest, block traffic around country over arrest of 4 yeshiva students
Obama says US deploying all available assets to free US woman in ISIS captivity
Why does Super Bowl champion Tom Brady keep a menorah in his house?
‘I dragged my friends to safety while firing back at the terrorists’
The hidden US message to Israel behind the leaked reports of the Mughniyeh assassination
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Likud, Jewish Home MKs Cancel Speeches at NIF-Linked Event
Heroism: Soldier Entered Hamas Terror Tunnel Alone
ISIS ‘Wake-up Call’ May Change ‘Pacifist’ Japan
Haredim Block Highways in Protest of IDF Enlistment
Rumble in Leading Bnei Brak Haredi Yeshiva
Shas Promises to Avoid Propaganda in its Schools
Im Tirtzu: B’Tselem Report Funded from Ramallah
The Lost Phone and Why Arabs Fear Baruch Marzel
‘World Has Yet to Blame Iran for Lebanon Attack’
Poll: Mughniyeh Strike Not Connected to Election
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SnyderTalk Comment: The liberal progressive one-liners about “ordinary peaceful Muslims” are making me weary.
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Netanyahu sends condolences to Japan’s Abe over IS killings
London mayor: Jihadists are sexually frustrated losers
SnyderTalk Comment: I like that description.
Powerful Iran general met with Hezbollah chief after Golan strike
Jewish fraternity in California defaced with swastikas
In a campaign of mudslinging, both sides may suffer
Serbian president urged to apologize for Holocaust remarks
German president who pushed country to face Nazi past dies
Likud butts heads with left as damaging report leaked
No one immune from Israeli preemptive strikes, says PM
Brit synagogue puts Muslim on council
Army shoots dead Palestinian throwing firebomb at car
SnyderTalk Comment: I think they shot him and killed him. I can’t imagine them shooting him after he died. Also, he would have had difficulty throwing the firebomb if he was already dead. Just saying.
Paris market terrorist ‘recorded the attack’
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Japanese prime minister ‘infuriated,’ by journalist’s beheading, vows to hold ISIS responsible
The Guardian Debunks Paris Synagogue Siege Skeptics
Antisemitic British Baroness Jenny Tonge Pressures UK Jews to Condemn Israel
Israeli Deaths Glorified at London School of Economics on Holocaust Memorial Day (VIDEO)
Yemen Joins List of Collapsed Mideast States
New Skull Could Be from Human Group that Interbred with Neandertals
SnyderTalk Comment: This is not science? It’s not even close.
Here’s the problem. Notice that the title reads “could be”. In no time at all, it will morph into “is” in college classrooms across the fruited plain. Soon after that, it will lose the “theory” designation and become “proven fact”. From there, it’s a hop, skip, and jump to being the kind of thing that only a Neanderthal would deny.
Charles Darwin’s “Theory” of Evolution is a good case in point. Darwin talked about microevolution. That’s when things within a specie or gene pool evolve over time, and it’s a fact. The typical person who spouts Darwinian “theory” is referring to macroevolution. That’s when a specie evolves from one gene pool to another, as in monkeys to man. That’s not a fact. It’s just wild speculation.
But people love to make things up and sell their opinions as facts. For example, in Egypt they found a very small fragment of an ancient document in an ancient garbage dump. They could make out only a few letters. Even so, based on that one small fragment—and I mean very small—some “experts” in theology have questioned the veracity of the Bible.
Here’s the problem: antagonists want the world to believe that there is no God. This problem isn’t new. That’s why King David wrote “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Psalm 14: 1) This debate won’t end until Yahweh lays it to rest.
In the meantime, we have to be alert to the games people play as they try desperately to prove the unprovable. You can’t prove that Yahweh doesn’t exist because He does exist.
Yahweh’s children know Him; they have heard His voice; and they follow Him. To people who are not His, Yahweh is just an abstract idea, a myth, or a lie. There is no common ground between believers and unbelievers where Yahweh’s existence is concerned. Stated another way, there is no fence in the middle where people stand until they have made up their minds. It’s either/or. Either you believe or you don’t.
It boils down to this: there are no agnostics. People who say that they are agnostic are simply unbelievers.
See:
- Scientists and the American public disagree on some pretty key issues
- Evolution, climate change still being rejected by a lot of Americans
- Scientific achievements viewed more negatively by American public since 2009
- Poll finds gaping chasm in views between US public, scientists
This is what happens when “science” becomes politically partisan, facts become irrelevant, and political talking points rule the airwaves. It ceases to be science. I’m shocked that so many so-called “scientists” play the political game at the expense of what they profess to love and cherish—the search for truth above all else.
Science isn’t the problem. Pseudoscience is.
Muslim Brotherhood Tries to Sabotage Egyptian-Qatari Reconciliation
Egypt blames Muslim Brotherhood for deadly Sinai attack
Assad’s Secret: Evidence Points to Syrian Push for Nuclear Weapons
North African Fighters in the Syrian and Iraqi Conflict
YouTube Overloaded with Terrorist Content
Boko Haram attacks northeast Nigeria’s main city
Damascus Explosion Kills 7 Lebanese Shi’ite Pilgrims
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How Iran Is Making It Impossible for the US to Beat ISIS
Argentine Official Says He Sought Cooperation With Iran, Not Cover-Up
Why Hungry Vultures Miss Iran?s Towers of Death
Death toll mounts in Ukraine fighting after peace talks fail
Turkey’s Erdogan accuses rivals of working with Mossad
US sources deride Israeli ‘nonsense’ on Obama giving in to Iran
Erdogan wants to be like Queen Elizabeth
The US needs Turkey in the war against ISIS
SnyderTalk Comment: “The U.S. needs Turkey”? That’s a real stretch. I’ll go one step further: it’s delusional. We need to oust Turkey from NATO.
Turkey condemns ISIL’s killing of Japanese journalist
Turkey ‘in Europe’s future,’ Turkish PM says
SnyderTalk Comment: It’s possible. We’ll see. If Europeans are smart, it won’t happen especially while Islamists control Turkey.
Russia’s economy ‘to shrink by 3% in 2015’
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Genesis 47: 7-12
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many years have you lived?” 9 So Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning.” 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from his presence. 11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to their little ones.
SnyderTalk Comment: Read His Name is Yahweh.
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His Name is Yahweh explains why the Name of God, Yahweh, is so important. It’s available in eBook format and in paperback. It’s also available for free in PDF format.
- God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This [Yahweh] is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Exodus 3: 15)
- “Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 16: 21)
- “Behold, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)
- Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8: 58)
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It’s time to remove the veil and tell the world who God is by Name.
Click here to download the entire audio presentation for free and with no strings attached. Share it as often as you want.
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Blessings in the Book of Revelation is a book that you need to read, especially now. There are blessings throughout the Scriptures but Revelation is the only book in the Bible actually containing a specific blessing for reading it. It’s repeated twice, once at the beginning and again at the end. This is the reason that I believe Revelation should be the first step toward studying biblical prophecy. Though not easy to do, Revelation can be broken down and understood by anyone, not just the academic elite. So, Revelation’s blessings are for everyone. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
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Other Books by Neil Snyder
- Stand! is a suspense novel that exposes the lies, corruption, and greed underlying the theory that man-made CO2 emissions are responsible for global warming. Professor Wes Carlyle and Karen Sterling, his research collaborator, carefully scan the audience for their would-be attacker—a member of the enviro-gestapo who has been following them for days. Wes spots his man in the back of the room leaning against the wall. Suddenly, another man in the audience steps forward and moves toward Karen at a menacing pace. With a vicious stroke, he swings a billy club at her head. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
- What Will You Do with the Rest of Your Life? deals with a question that every Christian has to consider: what should I do with my life? Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
- Falsely Accused is a true story about a young woman who was accused of committing a double homicide. It’s about a travesty of justice, and it reveals Yahweh intervening in the life of a believer to rescue her from danger in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Everyone will enjoy the book, but young people in particular need to read it because the mistakes made that led to the problem could have been avoided. They were the kinds of mistakes that young people are prone to make. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Click here to order the eBook. Click here to order the paperback.
